MEDIA ADVISORY
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN
BEVERLY DAVIS, PRESIDENT

National Federation of Republican Women Pledges
to Help Pass Jessica’s Law in Every State

INDIANAPOLIS – At its fall board of directors meeting, the National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW) pledged to continue working to ensure Jessica’s Law is passed in every state.

More than 150 Republican women from across the country gathered in Indianapolis Sept. 8-9 to meet with Mark Lunsford, father of the girl for whom Jessica’s Law is named. In 2005, nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and murdered by a convicted sex offender in Florida.

The Jessica Lunsford Act was passed in Florida later that year in an effort to toughen penalties for sexual offenders through mandatory minimum sentencing, lifetime supervision and electronic monitoring, increased registration and reporting requirements, and other measures.

“More than 24 states have passed Jessica’s Law or equivalent legislation,” Lunsford told the group. “But several states still need a lot of work. Many have only passed weak legislation with loopholes, legislation that makes people feel good, but that does no good. Jessica’s Law is the most powerful legislation to date to protect our children.”

With the support of Lunsford and the Jessica Marie Lunsford Foundation, the NFRW has launched a comprehensive issue advocacy program which will be implemented at the state level by the NFRW’s state federations. The program gives state federations the tools to advocate for the passage of Jessica’s Law or its equivalent in every state, and also calls for monitoring the enforcement of the legislation once it is passed.

Founded in 1938, the NFRW is one of the largest women’s political organizations in the country with nearly 100,000 members. The grassroots organization recruits and elects Republican candidates, advocates the Party’s philosophy and initiatives, and empowers women in the political process.
 

For more information about the NFRW, visit www.nfrw.org.

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